THE Arlberg
Skiarea for everybody
The history of skiing in St. Anton am Arlberg
Foundation of the Arlberg Ski Club (1901), the first ski race (1904),
the first ski school (1921) and the Arlberg-Kandahar Race (1928)
Tourism on the Arlberg dates back to the 19th century. But it was not until the advent of Alpine skiing, pioneered to a large extent by men from the Arlberg, that the region acquired the outstanding reputation it still enjoys today as a winter sports centre. Hannes Schneider was one of the foremost figures in the early days of skiing and starred in the films directed by Arnold Fanck which did a great deal to popularize the Arlberg. In the decades that followed a succession of great skiers made the Arlberg a household word for the best in skiing.
St. Anton is teamed up with the most famous resorts in the Alps!
»Belonging to BEST OF THE ALPS is as much an honor as it is a responsibility,« Director of Tourism Heinrich Wagner says in reference to its duties. After all, this association is made up of the top Alpine resorts whose objective is to have an exemplary effect on the entire Alpine region between Vienna and Nice with regard to tourism. Thus, in addition to St. Anton am Arlberg and Lech am Arlberg, the most important and well-known members of this association include St. Moritz, Kitzbühel, Zermatt, Seefeld, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Grindelwald, Cortina-d’ Ampezzo, Davos and Chamonix.
One of the focal points of the work of Best of the Alps is to keep the Alpine tourism regions attractive and competitive and, with innovative concepts, make sure that the unique European natural and recreational landscapes in the Alpine region maintain their significance and are able to hold their own against non-European competition. And the competition is known not to sleep.
Just how important and successful the united front of Best of the Alps is, can be seen in the number of members chosen to host the World Championships in Alpine Skiing: in 1999 they will be held in Vail in the USA. Two years later, in 2001, St. Anton am Arlberg has been given the honor of hosting this great sports event. Moreover, it has also been possible, due to a successful application, to direct the interest of the public toward the Alps again in 2003 when Best of the Alps member, St. Moritz, will be the venue of the World Championships in Alpine Skiing.
In short, Best of the Alps is a guarantor for successful innovations in the field of tourism in the Alpine region. Successful for the benefit of the region, the towns and for the benefit of all of our guests and visitors.
